Olympic Games: South Africa names Durban as preferred host city for 2036 or 2040 bid
South Africa hopes to bring the Summer Olympics to Africa for the first time.
South Africa has selected Durban as its preferred city to bid for the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. SASCOC acting president Lwandile Simelane announced the decision on Thursday.
Key takeaways
- Durban chosen ahead of Johannesburg and Cape Town
- Bid targets the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games
- South Africa is one of seven countries pursuing the 2036 Olympics
- IOC interest deadline is October 31; host selection expected in mid-2029
- Durban previously lost the 2022 Commonwealth Games in 2017
South Africa has named Durban as its preferred host city for a bid to stage the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) announced on Thursday.
Acting president Lwandile Simelane said Durban was chosen ahead of Johannesburg and Cape Town and would be the country’s main candidate, though South Africa is likely to propose a multi-city arrangement with some competitions taking place in other locations.
A successful bid would make Africa the host continent for the Olympic Games for the first time.
Background and competition
Durban had previously been considered a possible Olympic host following South Africa’s successful staging of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but those plans did not result in a formal bid, largely because of concerns over financial costs.
Officials said they were not yet in a position to estimate the expenditure required to organise the Games. South Africa is among seven countries pursuing the 2036 Olympics, alongside India, Qatar, South Korea, Germany, Hungary and Turkey.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has set October 31 as the deadline for national Olympic committees to formally express their interest in hosting the 2036 Games.
What happens next
SASCOC will present its proposal to the IOC’s Future Host Commission in November. Feasibility reviews are expected to conclude in March 2027, while the final host selection is scheduled for mid-2029.
The city’s record includes a previous setback: Durban won the right to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games but lost it in 2017 after the Commonwealth Games Federation said it had failed to meet key obligations.
The modern Olympic Games are international multi-sport events organised into Summer and Winter Games, each held every four years and occurring two years apart within the four-year Olympiad, an arrangement in place since the 1994 Winter Olympics.
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